Olympic ink: 50 more tattoos on the world’s best athletes

In 2012, we’re very lucky to have unparalleled access to images from world events, such as those zipping through the wires from the Summer Olympic Games in London. And with the vast technological advances in digital photography, these images have become increasingly more intimate. This has led to a number of reports pointing out the tattoos adorning the bodies of this year’s athletes. And here’s another one.

Moldova’s Vasilii Belous (L) sports a tattoo as he fights against Tanzania’s Selemani Kidunda during the men’s welter (69kg) Round of 32 boxing match at ExCeL venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games July 29, 2012. (Murad Sezer/Reuters)

Italy’s Christian Presciutti reacts during their men’s preliminary round Group A water polo match against Croatia at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Water Polo Arena August 2, 2012. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

Austria’s Clemens Doppler reacts after they were defeated by Switzerland’s Patrick Heuscher and Jefferson Bellaguarda during their men’s preliminary round beach volleyball match at Horse Guards Parade during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012. (Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters)

Latvia’s Maris Urtans competes in the men’s shot put qualifying rounds at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

A swimmer bearing an Olympic rings tattoo gets ready prior to compete in the women’s 50m freestyle heats during the swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images)

The tattoo of Brazil’s Thiago Pereira is seen after the men’s 200m individual medley heats swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 1, 2012 in London. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Italy’s Domenico Valentino celebrates after defeating Britain’s Josh Taylor in their Men’s Light (60kg) Round of 16 boxing match during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 2, 2012. (Murad Sezer/Reuters)

A tattoo showing two feet and reading “Champion” is seen on the chest of Mongolia’s Tsagaanbaatar Khashbaatar while he competes with Taiwan’s Kai-Wen Tu during their men’s -66kg contest match of the judo event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 29, 2012 at the ExCel arena in London. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

A detailed view of Hyleas Fountain of the United States’s tattoo and painted nails during the Women’s Heptathlon High Jump on Day 7 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 3, 2012 in London, England. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The tattoo of Pedro Cunha of Brazil is seen during the Men’s Beach Volleyball Preliminary match between Brazil and Great Britain on Day 3 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Horse Guards Parade on July 30, 2012 in London, England. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Ryan Lochte of the United States looks on after competing in the Men’s 200m Freestyle heat 5 on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre on July 29, 2012 in London, England. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

A tattoo is seen on the hips of T’erea Brown of the U.S. before the women’s 400 metres hurdles event at the Golden Gala IAAF Diamond League at the Olympic stadium in Rome May 31, 2012. (Giampiero Sposito/Reuters)

Canada’s Brent Hayden prepares to swim in the men’s 100m freestyle heats during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 31, 2012. (Tim Wimborne/Reuters)

Deron Williams #8 of United States looks on against France during their Men’s Basketball Game on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Basketball Arena on July 29, 2012 in London, England. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Brazil’s Alison practices for the men’s beach volleyball competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games, in London July 26, 2012. (Sergio Moraes/Reuters)

British athlete Nicholas Robinson Baker’s tattoo is seen as he dives during a training session at the Aquatics Center in London on July 26, 2012 on the eve of the official opening of the 2012 London Olympic Games. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

A tattoo of a Bible verse is seen on the hands of Brady Ellison of the U.S. as he prepares to take aim during the men’s archery team quaterfinals at the Lords Cricket Ground during the London 2012 Olympics Games July 28, 2012. (Suhaib Salem/Reuters)

Michael Phelps of the United States reacts after his team win the silver during the Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay final on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre on July 29, 2012 in London, England. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Britain’s Daniel Williams reacts after losing during the men’s -73kg judo contest of the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 30, 2012 at the ExCel arena in London. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

US swimmer Anthony Ervin reacts by a pool, on July 21, 2012, during a training camp of the US swimming team in Bellerive-sur-Allier, central France, six days ahead of the London Olympic Games. (Thierry Zoccolan/AFP/Getty Images)

Sweden’s pivot Andreas Nilsson (L) reacts to a scoring during the men’s preliminaries Group A handball match Sweden vs Tunisia for the London 2012 Olympics Games on July 29, 2012 at the Copper Box hall in London. (Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)

Brazil’s Paulo Branco poses showing his beach volleyball inspired tattoo during a beach volleyball training session at the Brazil Olympic team’s camp in Crystal Palace in London on July 23, 2012, four days before the start of the 2012 London Olympic Games. (Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images)

US swimmer Matthew Grevers celebrates winning the men’s 100m backstroke final swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 30, 2012 in London. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images)

Members of France’s 4x100m men’s freestyle relay team Clement Lefert, Fabien Gilot and Amaury Leveaux cheer as their anchor Yannick Agnel swims to win the event final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 29, 2012. France avenged their defeat to the United States in Beijing four years ago when they snatched the gold medal in the men’s 4×100 metres freestyle final at the London Olympics on Sunday. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

A tattoo on the right arm of Hungary’s pivot Szabolcs Zubai is seen during the men’s preliminaries Group B handball match South Korea vs Hungary for the London 2012 Olympics Games on July 31, 2012 at the Copper Box hall in London. (Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)

Stephanie Rice of Australia stretches during a training session ahead of the London Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in Olympic Park on July 23, 2012 in London, England. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

In a picture taken with a robotic camera France’s Camille Lacourt competes in the men’s 100m backstroke final swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on July 30, 2012 in London. (Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images)

A tattoo of Jessica Lopez of Venezuela is seen as she competes in the asymmetric bars during the women’s gymnastics qualification in the North Greenwich Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games July 29, 2012. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

Croatia’s Petar Muslim (L) celebrates with teammate Andro Buslje during their men’s preliminary round Group A water polo match against Spain at the Water Polo Arena during the London 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

Italy’s Federica Pellegrini stretches before training at the main pool at the Aquatics Centre before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London July 26, 2012. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Gabriella’s Szucs from the U.S controls the ball during their women’s preliminary round Group A water polo match against Hungary at the Water Polo Arena at the London 2012 Olympic Games, July 30, 2012. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

Marta Pihan-Kulesza of Poland attends a gymnastics training session at the O2 Arena before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games July 26, 2012. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

A tattoo of the Olympic rings is seen on Canada’s Ryan Cochrane during a training session at the main pool of the Aquatics Centre before the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London July 26, 2012. (Jorge Silva/Reuters)

US gymnast Jonathan Horton competes on the rings during the men’s team final of the artistic gymnastics event of the London Olympic Games on July 30, 2012 at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

USA forward LeBron James (6) is interviewed after practice in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Palau Sant Jordi on July 23, 2012. (Bob Donnan/US Presswire)

USA Women’s lightweight Queen Underwood, from Seattle, WA, shows off her Olympic rings tattoo as she trains on a speed bag in preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games at the SCORE training facility on July 26, 2012. (John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports

France’s Laure Manaudou (2D-L) and Camille Lacourt (C) listen to team mates during a training session ahead of the London Olympic Games on July 24, 2012 at the Aquatics Centre in London. France’s 2004 Olympic 400m freestyle swimming champion Laure Manaudou recently said she was not obsessed with winning a medal at the London Games and instead was seeking to just enjoy her third Olympics. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images)

A member of the Great Britain team looks on in the Men’s Water Polo Preliminary Round Group B match between Great Britain and Romania on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Water Polo Arena on July 29, 2012 in London, England. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Tyson Chandler #4 of United States wipes his face with his jersey against France during their Men’s Basketball Game on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Basketball Arena on July 29, 2012 in London, England. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

A star-shaped tattoo is seen on the left leg of Brazil’s leftwing Fernanda Silva Rocha during the women’s preliminaries Group A handball match Croatia vs Brazil for the London 2012 Olympics Games on July 28, 2012 at the Copper Box hall in London. Brazil won 24-23. (Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom competes in the women’s 200m freestyle heats swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Park in London on July 30, 2012. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Brazil’s Neymar (L) leaves the pitch with teammate Oscar after their 3-1 win during the London 2012 Olympic Games men’s football match between Brazil and Belarus at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England, on July 29, 2012. (Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images)

A tattoo on the right arm of Sweden’s leftwing Fredrik Petersen is seen during the men’s preliminaries Group A handball match Great Britain vs Sweden for the London 2012 Olympics Games on July 31, 2012 at the Copper Box hall in London. (Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)

A picture shows the Olympic tattoo of Spain’s gymnast Sergio Munoz as he competes on the rings during the men’s qualification of the artistic gymnastics event of the London Olympic Games on July 28, 2012 at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

Vanessa Ferrari of Italy performed on the balance beam apparatus in the women’s team preliminaries competition at North Greenwich Arena during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England, Sunday, July 29, 2012. (David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/MCT)

A tattoo on the arm of Larry Godfery of Great Britain is pictured as he competes against Juan Rene Serrano of Mexico during the archery men’s individual elimination event on Day 3 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 30, 2012 in London. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

Team USA wrestler Joran Burroughs during a portrait session at the 2012 Team USA Media Summit at the Hilton Anatole. (Kevin Jairaj/US Presswire)

Dana Vollmer of the U.S. (L) follows her team mate Claire Donahue out of the pool after their women’s 100m butterfly semi-final at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 28, 2012. (Toby Melville/Reuters)

Australian James Magnussen attends a swimming training session at the Aquatics Centre on July 25, 2012 ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London. (Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images)

4 Comments

David Jones
Aug 03, 2012 @
15:52:02

I have been a tattoo artist for over 17 years and I enjoy the work. Creating tattoos is a passion of mine and I have been very successful.
I really enjoyed your article it has been inspiring and I hope you keep producing more. Tattoos have become very popular and it’s nice to see other people that have the same interest.
Keep up the good work

Here is an evidence of how popular tattoos are among the sports persons as well. Not only do these tattoo designs reflect an aspect of their personality, they also show that tattoos are something that attracts a lot of attention. Otherwise we would not have seen this post with exclusive pictures of over 40 players spotted with tattoos inked on their skins.

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